Embrace
by AnglophileConfessions
Summary: Stiles and Lydia see each other face to face for the first time since he returned from Mexico after helping to save Scott.


"Daaaaaaad…Dad?" Stiles leaned as far out as he could to look out of the inner window of his father's office. He couldn't see Malia or his dad in the hallway. "Shit…" He muttered yanking on the handcuff linking him to Sheriff Stilinski's desk. "I can't believe they left me!" He leaned in the other direction looking out of the outer window, checking to see if they had _actually_ left him. The sheriff's car was still in the lot. So, this is where Stiles got his sense of humor…

As Stiles turned to look into the hallway again he saw a flash of strawberry blonde hair as Lydia Martin made for the door to leave the police station. "Hey! Lydia! LYDIA!" Stiles yelled through the open door, heart pounding. He hadn't seen her since they had returned from Mexico. He hated to admit it, but he had been really worried about her and extremely relieved to hear that she was okay after the attack of the berserker. His dad had told him the basic events, but Stiles wanted to hear what had happened from Lydia and (more than anything) he really wanted to see that she was okay for himself.

Lydia came to a halt in the hallway and peeped around the door into the office where Stiles was cuffed to the desk. "In a bit of a bind, huh?" she said with a smile. Stiles' face broke into a grin. He couldn't help himself.

"Little bit…" he replied, yanking against the handcuffs again, making his point. "Help, please?"

"Hmmm…I don't know. Leaving you there may keep you out of trouble…" Lydia said with her signature smirk, all dimples, eyes bright.

"Lydia, come one! Please? Pleeeease?"

Lydia hesitated a moment, seemingly deliberating then rolled her eyes and started towards him. She reached into the coffee cup on the desk, and pulled out the key. Then she dangled them in front of Stiles' face with a smile before unlocking the handcuffs.

Once free Stiles rubbed his wrist, trying to bide his time before he had to go outside or his dad came back in with Malia. It was odd; he just wanted a few minutes with Lydia alone. He had barely had any time with her that wasn't spent trying to solve some sort of murder mystery. It was nice, but somewhat alien. Lydia opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Stiles had pulled her into a warm hug that she gratefully settled into. His arms were so long that they completely engulfed her small frame. He exhaled a great gust of air filled with anxiety that he didn't know he'd been holding. Lydia clung to him in return and breathed her own sigh of relief. He drew back, clearing his throat and Lydia stood silently, looking at the ground, her cheeks slightly pink.

She had never looked more beautiful than in that moment; hair cascading down her back in red waves, tendrils of it framing her porcelain face. Her lips were a natural deep pink as though she'd been biting them. When she finally looked up at him, the morning light shone onto her green eyes, illuminating the flecks of gold speckling her irises.

Stiles' heart ached in a very familiar way. He looked away from her, trying to rid himself of the odd desire to hold her face in his hands and kiss her. It was just relief at her being alive. Just relief. He was over her. He was dating Malia. They were just friends. He had never told himself so many lies before.

"So, you doing okay?" He finally asked.

"Yeah! I'm fine! I'm great! Thanks to your dad, really. He was incredible…" She says with a smile.

"Lydia, I didn't want to leave you, okay? I didn't. I told them I wasn't leaving without you, but I couldn't get ahold of you and Scott was in danger and…I'm sorry. I'm really really glad you're okay. I'm really glad you're safe." Stiles said this all in a rush, hoping Lydia would understand what he was trying to convey.

"Stiles…" Lydia said looking at him with a mixture of emotions he couldn't seem to place. Was it amusement? Awe? Concern? It was impossible to decipher the emotions flitting across her face. "Stiles, I completely understand. And I appreciate your concern. If you hadn't talked to your dad and told him where I was…well, I probably wouldn't be here right now. I mean, a baseball bat isn't exactly the best defense against a berserker…or anything really…"

Stiles laughed for a moment before her words sunk in and cut him short. "Wait. You…used…a baseball bat? Lydia Martin went after a massive berserker with a baseball bat?"

"Well, there was a bat and a berserker and I needed to get to yo - er - all of you. So, I did what was necessary!" She was blushing again but held his gaze determinedly. Stiles couldn't help but laugh. It was so small, but the fact that Lydia had thought of Stiles and picked up a bat in her time of need made his heart swell.

"You used a baseball bat against a berserker…" He repeated, shaking his head.

"Are you done laughing now? I think your dad and Malia are probably waiting." She said, voice dripping with false disdain. She stood tall, arms crossed, looking much more like the Lydia he knew before he actually knew her at all.

"Yeah, yeah. I think I'm done." He said, grinning.

"Well, good. You'd better get going, I guess." Lydia said, backing away from him. With every step, Stiles wanted to pull her back. Already she was too far away for him to reach her. She turned to walk out the door and a thought struck him.

"Hey! Would you want to come with us and get some food?" He unconsciously began chewing on his thumb, awaiting her answer.

"Uh, no, that's okay. Thanks though…I don't want to intrude. I'm sure you guys just want some family time." She said, her smile falling from her face.

"Lydia, you're my family too." Stiles mumbled before he could stop himself. Lydia didn't answer right away. She just stared at him, a grin slowly spreading across her face again, her dimples reappearing. "I mean, we're a pack, right?" Stiles said, feeling silly for saying something so cheesy and intimate.

Lydia continued to look at Stiles with an odd, almost sad, expression. Then she finally spoke saying, "Thanks, Stiles, but I'm sure you guys want to eat and go home. And I should get home to my mom. She's probably really worried. Deputy Parrish is going to drop me off…" Stiles felt an odd twinge in his stomach like he'd swallowed something sour.

"Oh. Right. Okay, well…um,I'll see you at school then? I'll let Scott know you're doing okay." He said. He suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore.

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you at school. Have fun with your dad and Malia!" She said it in the most sincere way. No sarcasm or jealousy present, but she wasn't smiling anymore either.

Before Stiles could reply, Lydia turned and crossed the room once again until she was so close that he could count her eyelashes, feel her breath on his face as she looked up at him, and smell the light, fresh scent of her shampoo. Then she pulled him to her in a tight hug, arms wrapped around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist in return, smiling into her shoulder. It was over before Stiles was ready to let go. As she parted from him she gently brushed her lips across his cheek. Then she turned and walked confidently from the room as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. When she reached the door she turned around saying, "See you Monday!" with a smile. Then she was gone. Stiles touched his cheek where she had kissed it and smiled. He really liked Malia, but he wasn't sure he would ever really get over Lydia Martin.


End file.
